


Traces of the past

by Elisexyz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: (All three of them are together), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy Lives, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emma is there but she's sleeping so I didn't tag her, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Multi, Nightmares, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:28:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26914405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elisexyz/pseuds/Elisexyz
Summary: “So—” he eventually says, shifting a little and opening his left arm wide. “Talking or cuddles?”
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Evil Queen | Regina Mills, Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 12
Kudos: 8





	Traces of the past

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt on Tumblr](https://heytheredeann.tumblr.com/post/631529141950464000/im-a-sucker-for-swanfirequeen-and-i-love-the-idea), asking for Regina having a nightmare about her mother killing Neal like she did Daniel. It can stand on its own if you can roll with Neal being alive and established OT3, otherwise I imagine it set in the same verse as [this getting-together fic](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25857574).  
>  Enjoy!

She wakes up panting, unsure if the scream that was torn out of her throat only existed in her head or if it’s what woke her up in the first place.

For a few moments, she lays trembling, blinking away the image of Neal’s body crumpling to the floor, of his destroyed heart slipping through her mother’s fingers—she watched through Cora’s eyes, for a few moments, enough to feel sick, enough to remember that it was all _on her_. Before that, she was just herself, helpless, no magic coming to her aid, no voice to even _beg_ —

_Always falling for the stable boys, aren’t you, my child?_

She squeezes her eyes shut, taking a breath and quickly sitting up, because the last thing that she needs is gravity pressing down on her chest. Swallowing through the lump in her throat and wiping her eyes in the hopes that it will ease the burning, she casts a glance to her right, to find both of her lovers still asleep.

Good, she must not have screamed, then.

Emma is lying on the other side of the bed, on her back and with her face turned slightly towards them. Neal sleeps on his stomach, with his arms under the pillow and his face towards Emma, and Regina’s breath catches as she watches him, wishing to be able to see the rise and fall of his chest.

She knows he’s fine, obviously, it was just a nightmare, it happens, in a minute she will be good and ready to go back to sleep—perhaps she should get up, grab a glass of water. That might help.

The thought of leaving, though, of being alone and letting him out of her sight, only ends up unsettling her more, flashes from her dream coming back to haunt her as she immediately tries to dismiss them, hoping that it will be enough to forget them come morning.

A part of her regrets not having woken anyone up, because she’s almost tempted to shake both Neal and Emma awake and settle in the middle.

Instead, she takes another steadying breath, twisting her torso a little and slowly reaching out, carefully running her fingers through Neal’s hair in an attempt to soothe herself. After all, he sleeps like the dead – _ah_ , how funny –, there’s no way that this could wake him—

Of course, Neal stirs, rolling over so that he’s facing her and prompting her to quickly retract her hand, biting her bottom lip out of guilt – both because she woke him up and because she is more relieved than anything else.

She can’t really make out his face with the lights out, but she imagines him frowning, squinting at her the way he does when he’s not all the way awake yet.

“Hey,” he says, quietly, and something in her settles, some tension melting out of her shoulders.

“Did I wake you?”

“Nah—I wasn’t sleeping.” He rolls on his back, leaning slightly in her direction. “You okay?”

That’s a question that she really loathes to answer. It doesn’t matter how many times she’s reminded that she’s surrounded by good people who have apparently decided that she’s worthy of being included in their circle, her first instinct is always to deflect from her weakness, like she’s at war with the world still.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says, and it’s not even that far from the truth: it was just a stupid nightmare, and now that she is not the only one awake anymore she feels a lot less isolated and lost. It’s fine.

“Sure,” Neal snorts, not at all convinced. She feels his eyes on her as he pauses, considering. “So—” he eventually says, shifting a little and opening his left arm wide. “Talking or cuddles?”

She huffs, her lips twisting up in amusement, but she doesn’t even consider refusing, quickly lying back down, this time resting her head against his shoulder and wrapping her arm around his torso. He takes a hold of her too, rubbing her back a few times and laying a kiss on her forehead.

“No talking?” he asks, quietly enough that she could even get away with ignoring it if she wanted to.

She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath as she nuzzles against his shirt and her body slowly relaxes, her panic melting away. “No talking,” she confirms. Then, blindly smoothing his shirt with one hand: “Thank you.”

He breathes out, maybe an amused huff. “Any time.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the [LLF Comment Project](https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject), which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates comments, including: 
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Questions
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 

> 
> If you don’t want a reply, for any reason, feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!


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